Petplan Summer Championships 24: Day Four

Super Saturday at the Petplan Summer Area Festival Championships produced a sunny day of stellar competition, with Novice level taking centre stage alongside Advanced Medium and Intermediate I title classes. 

Petplan Novice Freestyle Bronze 

Winner: Honor Casely and Lafforcry, 74.537% 

Lafforcry, known as Loc at home, certainly had Honor Casley smiling as they claimed their champion title in the first prize giving on fourth day of this Petplan championships! Winning the Novice Freestyle Bronze, with the highest score of the championships so far, 74.537%. 

Describing how their freestyle test felt, Honor, a second-year mechanical engineering student balances studying, horses and competing, said, “It was absolutely fantastic. It felt amazing.” When their music started and the test began Honor described how Loc “just went in and he completely lifted up. He was just so cool. He was so relaxed.” 

The combination started affiliated dressage two years ago and have continually progressed: they qualified in prelim for an Area Festival last year, then moving into Novice they made it to their first Area Festival Championships in April, placing seventh, and now they are Area Festival Champions. Leading up to the Petplan championships Honor was conscious that she kept the variety didn’t put too much pressure on Loc: “We event as well, and he’s just been doing a lot of hacking. It's been really chill the past few weeks, and just been a little bit of schooling here and there for. It’s just being really relaxed with him and just trying to give him the right headspace for it as he can get a bit stressy sometimes. So just really chilled.”  

Her understanding of what Loc needed and how to prepare him paid off. Her thoughts going down the centre line like many of us were: “don't turn the wrong way”. However, she then added, “I just thought ‘don’t let him down’, I just rode to the best of my ability as I knew he could do it.” This trust in each other set her and her dancing partner up to produce a winning programme. 

The standout moment for the pair was the medium trot describing it as, "the best medium trot we’ve had in a test.” and Honor shared how she felt there was mutual trust and a shared sense of readiness to take on the test between them, “he was just so settled, and I went ‘all right on you go then’ and he went ‘alright cool’ and just went for it, and I'm just so pleased!” summarising this feeling she added, “I just really felt like I was riding with confidence. 

Tasmin O’Connor and Riversides Caballero were the reserves champions with an incredible 73.149% and finishing the top three in style were Francesca Pearce and Waunoris Oliver Twist, with another impressive score of 72.870%.  

Petplan Intermediate I Bronze  

Winner: Nicole Turner and J’Eton Hit LDS, 67.745% 

Nicole Turner and J'Eton Hit LDS were proud winners of the Petplan Intermediate I Bronze title, scoring 67.745%. 

J’Eton Hit LDS, or 'Rooney' as he’s known to friends, started this championships on Wednesday with a freestyle where Nicole explained “I made quite a few big mistakes in the test.” However, this learning moment helped her clinch a championship title a couple of days later, “I was determined to ride more accurately, better, and really tried hard to set him up properly for everything and make sure I was showing him off on that short side. I had my trainer and my head shouting at me, ‘don't just sit there. Actually ride'. I went in thinking we are doing these as best as I possibly can at the moment.“ 

Reflecting on the test Nicole said the two tempi changes were standout and something she was determined to score well on “I did them, and I thought myself, ‘right, we're gonna make this really straight. I'm not going to deviate from it.’  I've been really working hard on these." She then added that there was a lovely moment in their warmup, where despite being “very hot when he came off the lorry, he relaxed after some circles and did probably the best walk he's given me in the few years, so I’m really pleased with him.” 

The pair's journey started five years ago: “I bought him on a bit of a whim.”  she said, explaining with a chuckle what drew her to him was “that he was small and Bay and a gelding” then adding, “I just saw something I liked in the video. He just looked really elegant. So I went to see him armed with money and a facts folder and he ended up coming back in the lorry with me.” 

"He was a bit of a late bloomer, but through Covid we got to grips with each other. He's had a really fantastic year this year," adding what she loves is that despite having quirks he’s “very generous”.

For Nicole, she loves the Petplan Festivals as they offer her the chance to more easilly aim for a championship around her busy life, “This isn't my job, and I work in insurance, and it's a really nice way to work your levels up with like, decent prizes, and there's loads of shows to go to, and you've got something to work towards, especially now they've got a winter and a summer season as well. Really gives me something to get me out and about. So I keep coming back."

Our fantastic podium finishers were Emily Coller and Flabbergasted in second place with 66.667% and Fiona Newall riding Fendy VCG were in third receiving 66.422% from the judges.  

Petplan Novice Bronze 

Winner: Olivia Vials and Dylano, 70.208%

Olivia Vials and Dylano were crowned the Petplan Novice Bronze summer championships with an amazing score of 70.208% from judges, Caroline Paterson, Steph Cooper and Martyne Galland.  

Despite Olivia not thinking her test went that well, the duo impressed between the white boards, “he really pulled it together and the best moment was our medium trot, he really gave it his all.” Not having any expectations heading into the Championships Olivia tells us, “I said I would love to get placed and stand in the arena with everyone else, that would be amazing. Even after I did my test I didn’t think we would get very far, until my friend sent me a photo of my score, it was amazing.”  

Olivia has owned Dylano for two years now, and their meeting was an unusual one, “I brought him over a pair of jodhpurs, I was buying a pair of jodhpurs and my friend asked if I wanted to buy a horse.” Olivia explains, “I thought she was joking around but she wasn’t, I went to try him and two weeks later he came with us.” Before Olivia owned him, the bay spent most of his time in the field, “it was just meant to be.”  

It has been “the best journey” ever since, the pair only started their BD career together at the end of last year, “we are just getting better and better every time we go out.” Olivia chose to start her dressage journey with the Area Festival series after being recommended it was a nice place to start, “I have met some amazing people through it, and it’s been really good” Olivia shares.  

The 16-year-old gelding is known for being a “cool dude” at home “we call him the little donkey; he will do anything for a treat” Olivia tells us. Lennie, as he is known to his friends, “he is just a pleasure to be around” Olivia’s mother Karen.  

Away from the her life with the horses, Olivia works on a dairy farm, “up early hours milking the cows and feeding the calves.” Oliva is extremely grateful to her boss Matthew, who has been really supportive, “I was meant to be working yesterday and he let me have the time to come here.”  

Olivia’s parents were there to support her today, sharing how proud they are, “Liv does it all herself, she has an fantastic trainer Laura Parks, and we have such an amazing network of friends that are so supportive” Karen adds. “She just works so hard” Olivia’s father Ian explains, “she gets up so early to go and milk the cows, to earn her pennies to spend on the horse.”  

When asked what’s next for the two of them, Olivia would like to see how far they can go up the levels. Away from the duo compete in Working Hunter, Veteran and Junior rider classes, not only does Lennie enjoy the dressage but also loves cross country.  

Katie Hale and Nonstop Desperado A.S were our reserve champions with a score of 69.583% followed very closely behind in third by Verity Matthews and Bunbury Peppermill with 69.444%.

Petplan Novice Freestyle Silver 

Winner: Oliver Lawery and Seiont Glesyn, 72.593%

Oliver Lawery and the very striking Seiont Glesyn are the Petplan Freestyle Novice Silver Champions, with a brilliant score of 72.593%. Not only did the combination win the class but Oliver was as the winner, the highest placed U21 rider and Seiont Glesyn “Harley” was the highest placed senior horse.  

“I was really happy with my test” Oliver shares, “he was a bit hot going in, but it really paid off” their stand out moment being the medium trot. The pair danced along to Queen music, “I love Queen music and we thought it really suited him.” 

Having owned the black gelding for five years now, Oliver tells us Harley has “taught me everything I know about dressage, he has taken me a long way.” Back at home Harley is described as very cheeky, “he’s his own person” Oliver explains. There are many things that Oliver loves about Harley, but to name a few, “he sticks his tongue out after having a treat, I love that. He really flicks his toes when he does a medium trot and he is just so loving as well.”  

With his parents with him at the championships, Oliver also has a great support team at home looking after the horses. Oliver enjoys competing in the Area Festivals series because it is “fun and has a great atmosphere” the duo are also competing tomorrow in the Prelim class and are competing at the Associated Championships at the end of October.  

Ruby Kelly and the beautiful Sir Nunn’s Just Rudi were in second place with a great score of 72.408% and in third place was Nadie Gregory and Newton Grand Design, achieving a 70.648%.

Petplan Advanced Medium Silver 

Winner: Carmen Gammie and Let’s Make an Opera M, 69.487%  

Carmen Gammie and Let’s Make an Opera M, took the Advanced Medium Silver by storm, to win with a great score of 69.487%. Having only competed at this level for the first time this year, the KWPN has stepped up and showed how talented his is, leaving Arena UK with a title.  

“I was really pleased with him” throughout their test Carmen reflects, "we didn’t have any big mistakes and we got through all our flying changes.” The stand out moment would have had to have been the flying changes, the bay gelding started learning the movement this year, so Carmen was really pleased with how they turned out.  

There was a buzzing atmosphere on the Saturday of the championships, with creating a exciting feel around the showground, “I’ve really enjoyed it, everyone is really friendly and supportive, people always ask how you have gotten on. Even when people may not have had the test they hoped for, everyone has been there to pick each other up” Carmen explains.  

The eight-year-old has been owned by Carmen for three years, she has trained him up the levels herself, but their journey has not been the easiest, “he spent last year really poorly because he had a virus, so he was out of work for the entire summer” Carmen shares. “He went to hospital and all sorts, so it is so nice to have him back, this time last year he was just coming back into work.”  

The duo rode their first Advanced Medium test in May of this year, and did a superb job of gaining their qualification scores, to then achieve two qualifications for the championships with two clean tests at the Area Festivals. The inspiring combination also finished in second place in the Advanced Medium Silver yesterday, “it’s been a bit of a journey and he has very much come into his own at this level, he really loves it” Carmen added.  

“I think he is just perfect! He’s very cheeky and has a great personality, I just think the world of him” Carmen shares how much “Doodles” means to her. With an exciting future ahead of them, Carmen want’s to focus on “becoming more secure” at this level because of the limited amount of time they have competed at Advanced Medium, with a hope of moving up to Prix St Georges at the end of next year.  

Lennon Healey and his own chestnut gelding Destination were the reserve champions with a score of 69.145% and with our top three separated by less than one percent, Nicola Southall and Skelwith LouLou finished in third place with 68.761%.  

Petplan Novice Silver  

Winner: Jacqueline Almond and Sir Edward, 69.792%

It was an emotional win for Jacqueline Almond and her superstar gelding Sir Edward, who were crowed the Petplan Novice Silver Summer Champions! Talking us through her test, Jaqueline explains, “I think it went really well, when I look back on it there are always things I would like to change, straightness can be an issue sometimes.” Impressed with how the black gelding behaved, “he is usually quite a laid back chap but he was really on form. That five minutes meant everything to me.”  

It is a huge achievement to compete at the Area Festival Championships and there are mixed emotions leading up to the event, Jaqueline shares how she was feeling heading down the centre line, “you want to ride everything but you don’t want to over ride, but as soon as I was in there I could feel that he was with me.” By the time they had gotten to the second lot of canter work Jaqueline already knew it was going well, “I got so emotional when I halted and saluted, I could feel the tears coming to my eyes because you work so hard all year round and it was just amazing.” 

Jaqueline brought the stunning gelding from a really close friend two and a half years ago, “he hadn’t done anything when I got him, so I didn’t have any expectations” she explains. “he wasn’t even on my radar, I was looking to buy a horse but because she had bred him I didn’t know he was an option” Jaquline shares that Sir Edward, who’s stable name is “Ted” is named after her grandfather. “He’s just pretty gorgeous isn’t he” Jaquline describes, “even if something goes wrong, you just have to look at that face! He is also a really nice guy.”  

First competing in the Area Festival series in 2009 on an ex-racehorse Jaqueline tells us” I have just wanted to come back and compete ever since. I insure through Petplan, I have done for many years, always have and this is just the pinnacle isn’t it, the end to a great season.”  

Amelia Walker and Aquila II with a score of 69.097% were our second place finishers and extremely closely behind in third was the combination of Emily Nicol and Adamo Cavaliere with 68.958% from the three judges.  

FULL RESULTS